Saturday, August 25, 2012

Dad came up for it, so looked around, had lunch, went back and looked some more. No boomsticks followed me home, did find some bits & pieces I can use.

I did notice that you can now get 550 cord in colors never dreamed of by the developers. And lately some people have been filling a need: I like having some single-use packs of burn cream and antibiotic and such for the little emergency kits, but don't want to buy a big box of them; couple of dealers have been putting together bags of 3-4 packs of cream, antibiotic, iodine wipes and what have you for a buck or two. Very handy stuff to have.

Also, if you live in the OKC area and haven't been there, took daughter to Chilenos Mexican, about 59th & north May, for dinner; damn, that was good.

In honor of the day, here's the pocketknife I've been carrying lately:Kershaw assisted-opening; picked it up at a fun show about eight months ago. Smooth action, locks positively, and the blade was sharp as it came from the factory(which is as it should be). I've been quite happy with it: it holds an edge very well, and all it's taken to touch it up has been a few strokes on a ceramic stick.

And, since he had that Dundee clip posted, here's a real knife:First big knife I ever made. 8.5" blade forged from leaf spring, brass guard, antler hilt. I've used this to cut meat, prune limbs, chop firewood and anything else that came along to test it on. Not long after made it, almost sold it(two kids, bills, the usual); happily things eased enough that I didn't have to, I'd have missed it.

Added: I noticed this in the comments:What possible legitimate use can anyone have for an assault weapon or jacketed bullets?I leave the comments on that idiocy up to you.l=

Update II: Reasoned Discoursetm has broken out! I left a comment asking two questions:How are you defining 'assault weapon'? andSince most bullets sold for ALL purposes are jacketed, what do you suggest be used?Took maybe five minutes for the comment to be deleted.

In comments on another post, Ian pointed to A: Forgotten Weapons, and B: This link to a pdf on the making of the 1911, dated 1942. The original, not the pdf(now you can't yell at me, so there).

And a bleg: does anyone know what the thread pitch was for the sideplate screws for the Colt Police Positive? And was it a standard across their DA revolvers, or did it change from model to model or over time?

Thursday, August 23, 2012

is carrying, it'll be your ass." Phrased in a more academically-acceptable way, that is. And that's as it should be. A someone says in the comments "Welcome to the real world; it may not intrude on the halls of academia very often, but it's there."

Seems a SEAL is releasing a book about the bin Laden raid without letting the usual people vet it; be interesting to see what all comes out in it.

Coming soon(if we're not lucky and nasty enough) from a Obamacare bureaucrat near you:There are two tiers of men with advanced prostate cancer in Ontario: Those who get access to a remarkable drug through private insurance, and those who get a death sentence.

The grim news is often delivered at the London Regional Cancer Program to men whose shoulders sag and jaws drop when told Ontario's Health Ministry has for 15 months refused to pay for a medication covered by every other Canadian province.

Yes, I'm still sick of politics; yes, I'd rather be making blades or polishing actions or something and trying to figure how to one-handed take pictures of it. Hell, I'd rather be sitting in a hide in the backyard trying to get sight- and maybe a pic- of that sneaky little bastard hummingbird. I guess I'm hooked, or have a really bad habit here of seeing something and wanting to pass it along. At the moment, I need to grab a shower and a drink(preferably in that order) and start reading Rabid.Who knows, it might actually have some good tips for the next couple of months and beyond.

“This is somebody who our reports said perjured himself before the Congress,” Issa charged. “We don’t understand why J.P. Morgan would hire somebody who’s lied to Congress, that will probably be referred for criminal prosecution.”

the last few years, you know what a friggin' mess it's been; appears DPS is actually trying to do something about it. Finally.

This has been a mess for years, and it's gotten worse the last few. You've had people taking multiple mornings off work to get to an exam station hours before it opens and still being told "You can't take your test today, you'll have to come back." Again. Etc. First-class pain in the ass, to say the least. Add to that some examiners being assholes, I'm surprised it took this long to cause something to happen. I figure enough people went to their reps and raised hell, they finally raised enough hell with the Commissioner's Office that they had to get something done.

No, I'm not real forgiving; I've heard too much crap over the years of that agency playing games. Hopefully they'll actually do something about this mess.

and the perjury and lies, you can make out pretty well:Three weeks after this column first revealed that a major figure in Operation Fast and Furious was likely to retire soon, the two men leading Capitol Hill’s investigation of the scandal are now asserting that he is already working in the private sector while still drawing a government paycheck.

William McMahon, former deputy assistant director for Field Operations at the agency, is “serving as Executive Director of the Global Security and Investigations Group at J.P. Morgan in the Philippines,” according to Senator Charles Grassley and Congressman Darrell Issa....“This unusual arrangement,” Grassley and Issa wrote, “is apparently designed to allow Mr. McMahon to reach retirement eligibility while on extended leave for four or five months and simultaneously begin a second career before separating from government employment.”Hey, you've got to take care of your co-conspiratorspersonnel, otherwise they might talk to the investigators and let the truth out personnel might lose confidence in you...

“Rather than imposing consequences for his admitted failures,” the letter continues, “the ATF appears to be rewarding McMahon. Through this unusual arrangement, ATF has essentially facilitated McMahon’s early retirement and ability to double dip for nearly half a year by receiving two full-time paychecks—one from the taxpayer and one from the private sector. Moreover, ATF did not wait for the Office of Inspector General to complete its report on Fast and Furious before approving the arrangement. This is in sharp contrast to the posture the agency has taken with whistleblowers like Special Agent John Dodson, who is told he must wait until the Inspector General’s report is complete before the agency will even consider his simple request for a statement retracting the false statements made about him by agency leadership.”Like we expect anything better from these dirtbags at this point.

This DOJ policy does not merely involve prohibitions against discrimination, but rather the documents reveal deliberate recruitment efforts to hire as attorneys and staff for the Department of Justice people suffering from psychiatric disorders and intellectual disabilities. Moreover, applicants can “self-identify” their disability by means of the “Standard Form 256, Self Identification Disability.”Hey, what could go wrong?

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

and tear up your house, but for a 911 call of "HELP ME!",Once obtaining an address, the dispatcher gave the call to the first available police field element. The officers that received the call arrived at the location and knocked at the door. When no one answered, they requested a call-back of the caller which went to voicemail. They also checked the perimeter windows of the home and spoke with neighbors who reported that they had not heard any disturbance.Her family found her dead two days later.

Unrelated to the above: yeah, I've got a problem with this:According to the lawsuit (PDF), in January 2011, Tulsa Deputy Police Chief Alvin Webster announced in a staff meeting that the event was upcoming and solicited volunteers to attend. In February 2011, an email regarding the event was sent to all Tulsa police officers. Attached to the email was a flier from the Islamic Society describing the event and inviting police officers to attend. When neither Captain Fields nor any of his subordinates responded to the invitation, a subsequent email was sent informing Fields that his attendance was no longer voluntary but mandatory, and that officers from each shift under his command were also expected to attend.

Capt. Fields responded with an email of his own, informing his superiors that he believed the order was unlawful as it violated his religious convictions and that he would not be attending. He also said he would not order any of his subordinates who held similar convictions to attend the event.

Efforts were made to persuade Capt. Fields to change his mind, but when he did not he was served with his transfer and suspension for failing to observe Rule 6 of the Tulsa Police Department Rules and Regulations – Duty to Be Truthful and Obedient.

One more: the PC idiocy at the DoJ marches on:This DOJ policy does not merely involve prohibitions against discrimination, but rather the documents reveal deliberate recruitment efforts to hire as attorneys and staff for the Department of Justice people suffering from psychiatric disorders and intellectual disabilities. Moreover, applicants can “self-identify” their disability by means of the “Standard Form 256, Self Identification Disability.”

Those with “targeted disabilities” may be hired through a “non-competitive” appointment. That means they don’t have to endure the regular civil service competition among applicants, but can be plucked from the stack of resumes and hired immediately instead.

when you do it:Usually, you don’t welcome a nuisance lawsuit, because it’s a nuisance. It consumes time. It costs money. But this is a different matter in light of one word: discovery.

If Mann sues us, the materials we will need to mount a full defense will be extremely wide-ranging. So if he files a complaint, we will be doing more than fighting a nuisance lawsuit; we will be embarking on a journalistic project of great interest to us and our readers.Seems Mr. Steyn REALLY got under the skin of Mann; he do have a way with words:...Michael Mann was the man behind the fraudulent climate-change “hockey-stick” graph, the very ringmaster of the tree-ring circus. And, when the East Anglia emails came out, Penn State felt obliged to “investigate” Professor Mann. Graham Spanier, the Penn State president forced to resign over Sandusky, was the same cove who investigated Mann. And, as with Sandusky and Paterno, the college declined to find one of its star names guilty of any wrongdoing. If an institution is prepared to cover up systemic statutory rape of minors, what won’t it cover up? Whether or not he’s “the Jerry Sandusky of climate change”, he remains the Michael Mann of climate change, in part because his “investigation” by a deeply corrupt administration was a joke.

onto the floor of a political convention in the first place? My first thought is "Morons who want to force what they desire on everyone else, damn the problems and consequences."According to mother and 2012 Democratic National Convention delegate Susie Shannon, the policy is disenfranchising women like her.

“Moms with young children six years of age and under who cannot be left at home, some of whom are breastfeeding, are relegated to second-class status within the Democratic Convention,” she explained in a statement, “unable to participate as a delegate due to antiquated policies and inadequate accommodations that were apparently in place before women’s suffrage.”You getting as sick as I am of hearing 'disenfranchised' used as an accusation for anything somebody wants to use it for?

really is?Indviduals with proper self-defense training can put down attackers no matter the size difference, with little to no damage done to the victim. Ask any defensive trainer, or a student of such a trainer, and you'll get the proof you regularly state on this page that this page lacks.Let's see, how many people get hurt in dojos with pads and gloves and all? No pavement or curbs or walls or corners to run into? Not actually trying to do damage? And yet these people...

Ah, hell, they're either freaking insane, or knowingly lying. And if it's the latter, anyone who takes their advice and gets hurt or killed, the blood is on the Brady clowns' hands.

One more thing: notice that interesting end with little to no damage done to the victim ? Apparently the attacker has become the VICTIM when they're stopped.

and the press is still kissing his ass, that's why. And it would be awkward to do that while asking why he's negotiating with the enemy to hand the place back over to them.

The EPA has been told- again- that it can't do whatever it wants; attacks of vapors from the usual suspects followed.It should be noted that the media, when it does bother to send foreign correspondents to Alabama, tends to bring their report out with a level of contempt and condescension that would make a "Look what those clever black buggers are doing" 1920's travelogue on Africa or India look kind.

Little over two months left till the election, and I've been sick of politics and politicians in general for a loooong time. Only real reason I keep writing about this crap: because of what those bastards keep wanting to do to me. And the kids, and parents, and everyone else. There's been a BUNCH of times over the last few years I've thought rather fondly of the rope/lamppost/politician theme...Which brings me to the range the other day(because I'm effing sick of politics/politicians). Had another chance to shoot that S&W M&P, and was allowed to change backstraps. Interestingly, the 'small' felt somewhat better to hold, but the 'medium' shot better for me. In either case, the owner says has had zero fte/ftf/ftanything problems; and of the odd bits & pieces of 9mm I'd dug up to take along, it ate everything, ball and some hollowpoints of four brands. If I were going to buy a polymer pistol, I think I'd have to look at one of these. Though I think I'd like to try one with the Apex Tactical trigger Robb loves so much; the trigger's not horrible, but compared to my 1911 compact it's... not mushy at all, but there's no way to tell when it's about to break.I'd love to try one in .45(maybe when get to the range with Jennifer and Evyl) to see something: even with fairly hot loads that 9mm felt quite mild in recoil with fast recovery, I'm wondering whether it's from it being 9mm instead of my usual .45, or if the M&P design tames it down.

Couple of weeks back I'd stopped by H&H to check on some reloading stuff, and the guy I talked to had to stop cleaning a pistol he'd just tried out, which was the M&P compact in .40S&W. Asked what he thought of it, and let's say he was impressed; said the .40 felt like firing a 9mm in most compacts. Since the .40 pistols I've fired had a definitely snappy recoil, it surprised me. And made me want to try one of these in .45 even more, to see just how it feels.

Just as general information, seems some people do not get that ball ammo isn't good for SD unless there's nothing else around. Same guy said he didn't care for 9mm for lots of people, not because 9mm won't work but because they tend to load with FMJ ammo for social purposes instead of those expensive hollowpoints. Definitely not good.

The man had been killed elsewhere, and then dumped from a moving vehicle into the road. The deputies decided to secure the crime scene, call the Orange county Sheriff's department, and wait to turn it over to them, so that the Orange deputies could work the scene.

They were told that the Sheriff's office doesn't work dead bodies in the road, because this was likely a pedestrian accident, and that the deputies should call the Florida Highway Patrol. The Orange sheriff's office said they didn't have the manpower. Calls the SO also doesn't respond to, due to lack of manpower: Reports of shots fired, suspicious persons, auto accidents, noise complaints, and other "non serious calls."

Orange county Sheriff's office is the department that wouldn't investigate when checks were being stolen from my mailbox and being deposited in the thief's bank account, and they cited manpower issues. It appears as though those issues have not subsided.But lots of time & personnel to write traffic tickets.

We hear this, and the only possible explanation are that these people are evil - determined to seize all guns from the population and ensure a monopoly of force to the government - or tools. Perhaps well meaning tools, but ignorant and easily led by the evil group.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Former Amalgamated Transit Union local 689 president Mike Golash, now an “Occupy” movement organizer, was caught on tape Sunday revealing his political goals: overthrowing capitalism in the United States and instituting a communist government.

“Progressive labor is a revolutionary communist organization,” Golash said during an Occupy DC “People’s Assembly” on August 19.

“Its objective,” he added, “is to make revolution in the United States, overthrow the capitalist system and build communism.”

Sunday, August 19, 2012

I haven't noted any Gunwalker stuff in a while; that's my fault,not because it's not out there; and there are other, connected things going on as well:“Even though Lopez told the ATF that he trafficked the Barrett #20488 to Mexico, that firearm is not listed in the indictment and Lopez has never been charged with trafficking [it]. This is because if the ATF charged Lopez with trafficking that Barrett to Mexico, the ATF would have to provide discovery materials that would prove the ATF knowingly allowed that gun to ‘walk,’” the source explained.Translation: "If we tell the truth, we're admitting what we were doing; so we'll lie by omission."Also from the link: ...but also raise suspicions that federal agents lied on the application to obtain a search warrant for Shipley’s residence.Hmmm... isn't that quite the violation of law? Perjury, falsifying a warrant, things like that?More on such things here and here. I'll repeat what I said after the prosecutors of Sen. Stevens got off the hook: a prosecutor, a federal agent, already KNOWS that prosecutorial misconduct and lying under oath are BAD THINGS, either unethical or flat-out lies: one who does such things should be fired, and prosecuted. Period. No "Nobody specifically told them not to lie under oath or hide information from the defense" crap; fire them and prosecute them. And fines for such should come out of their own damned pockets, just like they should from SWAT clowns who lie or don't bother to make sure they're at the right address, or otherwise violate their oath and responsibilities.

Know what? (devolving into bad language) I am God-cursed fucking SICK of excuses being made for corrupt prosecutors and cops to get them off the hook. Make them personally liable for damage they do, lies they tell; a lot of this shit will stop, very quickly. You go to the wrong address, shoot the dog and scare hell out of, injure people because you were too busy putting on your ninja suit to be sure? Lied on the application for a warrant? Better have deep pockets, asshole, because the damages are coming out of them. That goes for judges, too; you approve a warrant you shouldn't have? Dig deep, asshole, and you're losing that black robe, too.

If you're looking for fine examples of Sarah Brady Paradise(Edition Whatever) falling short, Sean usually has a number of links. Also notes of cases proving that bad guys for some reason just don't obey laws. Including this; as he says, if they can't keep the bad guys from buying or making a friggin' mortar, they think they can keep them from getting guns?

not only did moisture fall from the sky the other day, the current forecast is for 5-10 degrees below average for the next week. I've had the windows open all day with a fan in the living room just to spread this fine temperature through the house. And painted some windowsills that needed touching up.

Oh, and 20-30% chances of rain on several days, or so they currently say. I was afraid we'd have to wait for the state fair next month for rain; a way I'm happy to be disappointed.

E-mail me

at elmtreeforge at att point net

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their consciences. - C.S. Lewis

Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all come to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave. - Capt. Mal

A Rifleman’s Prayer:Oh Lord, I would live my life in freedom, peace and happiness, enjoying the simple pleasures of hearth and home. I would die an old, old man in my own bed, preferably of sexual overexertion.

But if that is not to be, Lord, if monsters such as this should find their way to my little corner of the world on my watch, then help me to sweep those bastards from the ramparts, because doing that is good, and right, and just.

And if in this I should fall, let me be found atop a pile of brass, behind the wall I made of their corpses. Geek with a .45

"He's Black Council,", I said.

"Or maybe stupid," Ebenezar countered.

I thought about it. "Not sure which is scarier."

Ebenezar blinked at me, then snorted. "Stupid, Hoss. Every time. Only so many blackhearted villains in the world, and they only get uppity on occasion. Stupid's everywhere, every day." Ebenezar McCoy

“A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition” ― Rudyard Kipling

This deprecation of individual freedom was objectionable to me. I am convinced now, as I was then, that man is an end because he is a child of God. Man is not made for the state; the state is made for man. To deprive man of freedom is to relegate him to the status of a thing, rather than elevate him to the status of a person. Man must never be treated as means to the end of the state; but always as an end within himself." Dr. M.L. King Jr.